Last Updated on Saturday, 26 November 2016 16:15
Saturday, 26 November 2016 16:13

There are some important changes being introduced for next years Championships which we need to make you aware of.

1. Hertfordshire ASA are trialling paperless entries/results for 2017. We will be hiring screens to run scrolling lists of entries at the start of sessions and results as the sessions progress.

This means we will not be producing printed programmes for the 2017 Championships. Once the accepted entries are finalised we will be putting the programmes up on the Herts ASA website so clubs/individuals can print off their own copies if they want them. Results will be posted on the wall as normal for the first day/weekend with a view to only using screens for the subsequent weekends. With the proliferation of connected devices it feels like we need to be offering a better online experience and we think this is a step in that direction.

2. Hertfordshire ASA will be trialling the same presentation format as Nationals for trophies for 2017.

This means we will not be presenting Trophies at the Awards evening. In line with Nationals we are having all the trophies professionally photographed and a picture of the winners will be posted on line with the relevant trophy detailing their name, club and winning time. Under each trophy will be the history of previous winners. We will still be presenting the salvers to the top 8 swimmers in each age group.

The rational behind these decisions are:

1. It takes a lot of time to collate the programmes, costs several thousand pounds to get them printed and we throw an awful lot of them away. A very expensive way to recycle paper. Over the years the number of programmes being sold has declined and the number of devices around the arena has increased. Putting more information on screens and online feels like a more 21st Century way of working.

2. Feedback supports the feeling that most people are not bothered about having a physical trophy. Most are kept in cupboards until they are due to be returned and a good number are not even removed from the boxes they are taken home in. Most people seem to see trophies as dust collectors.